vascularized bone graft
A bone graft that maintains its blood supply through microvascular anastomosis.
Full Definition
A vascularized bone graft is a surgical technique that transfers bone tissue along with its intact blood supply to reconstruct skeletal defects. The graft includes the bone segment and its feeding vessels, which are microsurgically connected to recipient vessels at the reconstruction site. This technique is particularly valuable in hand surgery for treating avascular necrosis of carpal bones, complex fracture nonunions, and large bone defects. Common donor sites include the fibula, iliac crest, and radial forearm. The maintained blood supply promotes faster healing and better incorporation compared to conventional bone grafts.
Usage
Usage note: Specify donor site and recipient vessels in operative descriptions.
In Context
- "A vascularized fibular graft was used to reconstruct the avascular scaphoid nonunion." — Operative report
- "The vascularized bone graft showed excellent incorporation at three-month follow-up imaging." — Post-operative assessment